


Harry Potter and the Slaughtering Of Intolerance

by Panicattheverywhere



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 'canon' has been taken out back and shot twice, Bisexual Harry Potter, Bisexual Remus Lupin, Black Hermione Granger, Gay Draco Malfoy, Gay Sirius Black, Lesbian Pansy Parkinson, Multi, No Beta, Non-Binary Nymphadora Tonks, Pansexual Blaise Zabini, Trans Neville Longbottom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24718879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panicattheverywhere/pseuds/Panicattheverywhere
Summary: In a world of amazing characters, why should things be filled with prejudice? Why should everyone be portrayed as straight, cisgendered, and white? Why should there be intolerance toward groups of teenagers because of a personality test from when they were eleven years old? This is where this will be changed.aka:JKR???? Who's that?
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin (Background)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. The Boy Who Lived

Mr and Mrs Potter, of Number 8, Godric’s Hollow were known, by nearly anyone who came into contact with them, as a fun-loving, caring couple, who, even in the hardest times, would take the time to smile at each other and feel grateful for their love. In addition to this, they were also, by many accounts, one of the most powerful duos when it came to spell-casting.  
Lily Potter, a firey redhead, who was brave, true, and caring, was the mother to a small, barely one-year-old baby named Harry. Lily was often seen rolling her eyes at her husband’s antics, as well as those of his closest friends, Sirius, Peter, and Remus. The group was inseparable: there was not a day that went by without one of their friends arriving at the Potter home, whether they came bearing news or simply wanted to spend time with the Potters. They all had nicknames for each other, as well; Remus was “Moony,” Peter was “Wormtail,” Sirius was “Padfoot,” and James was “Prongs.” 

Lily’s husband, James, was a sly man, who was commonly seen with a smirk on his face. His glasses were constantly just a little askew, and his jet-black hair was always tousled. He was quite the prankster, in his school days, and had not really changed since then, his eyes lighting up when he would come up with an idea for a prank or joke. Typically, Lily or Remus would dissolve his plans fairly quickly, but on occasion, they would allow James and Sirius to go off on whatever insane plot they had created. They would sit back and laugh, watching the two acting like children again as they used their wands to set off fireworks, or make bubbles fly, or attempt to turn Peter’s hair yellow, while he was asleep. 

However, life hardly was ever this light. There was a war on, and Lily and James had to bring Harry into hiding. They trusted the wrong person, and everything went sideways. 

Lily and James Potter were killed in their home on October 31st, 1981. When Sirius Black heard the news, he arrived on scene, feeling anger and hopelessness overtake him. He pleaded with Rubeus Hagrid, who had come to take Harry to his aunt and uncle’s home. He begged him to let him take Harry, because Lily had specified that Harry was to go live with Sirius if anything happened to her and James. Hagrid refused, apologetically, stating that if it were up to him, he’d give Harry to Sirius, but he couldn’t. Sirius nodded, setting his jaw. If he were to have to lose all of the Potters, then he knew what he had to do. He insisted Hagrid take his flying motorcycle. He wouldn’t need it, after what he was planning to do. He was going to take revenge, for the ones who had mattered most to him. 

When Hagrid arrived at Number 4, Privet Drive, he was surprised. He was not at all expecting to see the school headmaster, in all of his long, silvery wisdom, and the deputy headmistress, with her tall, stern frame, in a full-fledged argument. Deputy Headmistress McGonagall was getting more heated by the minute, her voice raising, and her hands gesticulating wildly. Headmaster Dumbledore seemed surprised, and his anger actually showed, which meant he was fairly angered. As Hagrid approached, he began to hear the words being said.

“-just this once, Albus. If Harry is placed in these people’s care, he will _not_ live a good life! He will be psychologically damaged! This is _not_ what Lily and James wanted!”

“Minerva, you have to understand. I must do this, it’s of the utmost importance. He’ll be safe here.”

McGonagall waved her hands wildly. “ _NO,_ he _WILL NOT._ Albus, I have seen what these people are like in just the day that I’ve been here. They are _not_ kind people. They are snobby, and from what Lily had said about them, they don’t like our kind. Harry will not live a good life here. They will force him to smother anything good that was left from his parents. Anything good that we know of Lily and James will be gone, Albus. I refuse to let this happen.” 

Dumbledore stood there for a moment, staring dumbly. His eyes darted to Hagrid, and the bundle in his arms, which held a baby. He stood and contemplated, looking from Hagrid, to Harry, to McGonagall, and back again. Presently, he nodded to himself, and spoke, softly. “Very well,” He murmured.

McGonagall tilted her head. “What was that, Albus?” 

“Harry will live in the care of Sirius Black. He _is_ Harry’s Godfather, and he would be able to not only keep Harry- and his magic- alive, but he can help keep Lily and James’s memory alive, as well.” Dumbledore spoke, eyes dark but voice strong.

McGonagall’s shoulders slumped with relief. “Oh, thank goodness.” She turned to Hagrid, eyes darting up to his eyes, before diverting to the bundle in his arms. “We must tell Mr. Black. He’ll want to know this, and Harry needs a place to stay.” She waved her wand, nodding at the glowing apparition of a cat that she had conjured, and giving it a message to pass on to Sirius: _“Harry has been placed in your protection. Come to Privet Drive in Little Whinging when you can.”_ The cat seemed to smile, and then pranced away into the night.

Sirius was in the search for the one he once thought of as a brother. Peter Pettigrew, who had betrayed the trust of everyone they held dear. Lily and James were _dead_ because of him, and Sirius would make him pay, by any means possible. He did not care what happened to himself; Lily and James were gone, Harry was off to live with his horrible relatives, and Remus would assume that he had been the one that had sold the Potters out. All he really cared about was that the rat was brought to justice. 

He apparated to Pettigrew’s frequent haunts, including his home, the Leaky Cauldron, and a muggle bar in London. He was in none of these places, and everywhere he turned there were wizards in the streets celebrating. _Celebrating._ Lily and James Potter were dead, and all the people did was celebrate. Sirius felt tears building in his eyes and a lump in his throat as he leant on the side of a building, contemplating where to go next. He wasn’t sure where Peter would be, but he had to find him. He _had_ to. 

As he stood, wracking his brain and fighting off tears, a gentle, pulsing white light illuminated his face. He looked to the ground and saw a ghostly cat. It spoke in Minerva McGonagall’s voice and relayed her message to him. His heart pounded in his chest as he watched the spectral messenger fade away. This changed things: if Harry was in his care, then he couldn’t risk his life in the way he would have. Harry had already lost his parents; Sirius could not allow him to lose his Godfather, too. 

The rat would have to wait. He’d do whatever it took to see him brought to justice, so long as he could be there for Harry.   
  


Sirius apparated to Privet Drive, and was met with the sight of Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Rubeus Hagrid, all stood in the street and making conversation. Sirius approached rapidly, only one question on his mind: “Where is he? Where’s Harry?”

The assembled trio all turned sharply, with varying levels of surprise and concern on their faces. Wordlessly, Hagrid moved the fabric in his arms, uncovering the sleeping face of Harry Potter. On his forehead was a bright red lightning shaped cut, which looked horribly out of place on the innocent infant’s face. 

Sirius subconsciously stepped forward, the lump in his throat returning. Hagrid held Harry out slightly, offering Sirius to take him. After a moment’s hesitation, he accepted the bundle, holding Harry tight to his chest once he had him. Harry stirred a little, but didn’t awaken, nestling closer to Sirius. 

Sirius allowed himself to feel comfort in the being in his arms, and his steady warmth that pressed against his heart for a moment, before he looked to the others and spoke. “Peter- He- Pettigrew’s the traitor. He needs to be brought to justice, please, he- He killed our best friends.” His eyes sought Dumbledore’s. “There must be something we can do- He’s an animagus, he turns into a rat. He can’t get away with this, please-”

Dumbledore nodded. “We’ll contact the Ministry. He will be brought to justice, Sirius. I promise you, Lily and James will not have died in vain.”

Sirius bit his lip anxiously before nodding. “Yeah. Yeah, alright. Er, do I just go live in my apartment with Harry now? Because if so, I need to buy a few things on the way home.” 

Dumbledore hesitated. “Well, yes? Additionally, though… Perhaps you could contact Mr. Lupin about the whole thing? I fear that no one has contacted him yet, and I feel it would be better for him to hear it from someone who he trusts.” 

Harry squirmed a little before settling again. Sirius took in a breath. “Okay, sure. I’ll, uh… Send for him when I get home. Is that all?” 

With looks exchanged between the assembled people, the consensus seemed to be that they could disperse. Goodbyes were exchanged, and Hagrid gave Sirius back his bike with a knowing look in his eye. 

On the way back, Sirius stopped at the Potter home, bringing Harry with him. He took anything that seemed necessary for taking care of a baby, and he took several emotionally important items, like James’s invisibility cloak, several photos of Lily and James, with some featuring the other Marauders and Harry. He took one last glance around what remained of the Potter family home, feeling a heavy weight in his chest as he looked around the place for the last time. 

The door closed with a heavy thud as he left, placing Harry into the sidecar of his motorcycle before climbing on himself. He glanced at the building one final time before starting up the engine and riding off, knowing the route like the back of his hand. He’d traveled this way many times; after parties, gatherings, get-togethers. On the day Harry was brought home. On the day of Lily and James’s wedding. Thousands of times. He tried not to think about how this would, most likely, be the final time he made this journey. 

Once Sirius arrived back at his flat, he unloaded everything from his motorcycle, walking to the door to his flat. He unlocked the door with the wave of his wand and opened the door, stepping inside. The living room of his flat was humble, with a worn rug on the floor, a somewhat-scruffy looking couch, and a wooden coffee table with tea and coffee stains on the top. 

Harry squirmed in his arms, his eyes opening a crack as he looked at Sirius. Harry’s mouth opened in surprise, but quickly smiled in recognition. He babbled excitedly, waving his ravioli-like hands. 

“Hey there, Harry.” Sirius spoke, looking down and meeting the baby’s eyes. “I’ll take care of you, I promise. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” He felt tears welling his eyes as he looked into the innocent eyes of Harry. They looked so much like Lily’s, even now, that it hurt to look at him. Harry squealed, eyes crinkling, and Sirius smiled back, a few tears falling down his cheeks. 

After a few minutes of this, Sirius straightened up. “Harry, I have to get Uncle Moony, okay? Just sit tight,” He said, placing Harry on the sofa. He sent a message, simply saying to come to his flat as soon as possible, and that he had something to tell him.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded on the door. Sirius rushed to open the door, being met with the sight of his friend, his chestnut hair looking ruffled and the scars on his face looking deeper than normal. He took a moment to look at Sirius, eyes drinking in everything he noted, before he pulled the black-haired man into a hug. They stood there, arms wrapped around each other tightly, taking solace in each other’s presence. 

After a bit, they released each other, eyes wet. “What were you supposed to tell me, Sirius?” Remus asked, brows furrowed.

Sirius heaved a sigh, swallowing around the lump in his throat as he spoke. “I… Remus- Lily and James, they’re… He got them.” His voice cracked and tears ran down his cheeks. 

Remus’s eyes widened in horror, his expression filled with a sense of disbelief. He shook his head. “No, they can’t- You were the secret keeper, right? How would he-”

Sirius shook his head. “No, no I switched with Peter. I thought that Voldemort would think that I was the secret keeper, and they’d be safe… Instead, that _traitor_ led him right to them.” 

Tears ran down Remus’s face. “I just can’t believe that they’re _gone._ I thought that, if any of us were to die first… It’d be me. I never even considered it being them. I never _prepared-”_

Sirius nodded, opening his arms as an offering. Remus accepted, nestling close. Sirius, closed his arms around the other, tears slipping down his own face as he tried to comfort his friend. 

As they stood there, attempting to calm themselves, a noise came from inside the house. Detaching himself from Sirius, Remus looked around, eyes landing on Harry, who had awakened, and was cooing on the couch. “Is that..” He started.

Sirius sighed, wiping away his tears and rubbing his eyes tiredly. “Yeah. That’s Harry. Since Lily and James…. Well. You know. Since _that,_ I have the responsibility to take care of him, because that’s what they’d said that they wanted me to take care of him, and I’m his Godfather.” 

Remus swallowed harshly. “C… Could I see him?” He asked, seeming borderline abashed to ask this.

“Of course, Moony. You don’t even have to ask.” Sirius said adamantly. Remus went over to the sofa, picking up little baby Harry. 

Once Remus picked up Harry, he smiled, tiny hands grabbing at Remus. “Moomy!” Harry babbled, giggling. 

Remus smiled at Harry. “Hey there, Harry.” He allowed Harry to grab his finger, cooing at the baby. 

Sirius sat back and watched, smiling. Maybe this could work out. If Remus helped with raising Harry, maybe it would be alright. 


	2. The Vanishing Glass

Eleven years later, Harry awoke to the sound of talking in the kitchen. He yawned, stretching lazily. Sunlight shone through the window, causing the room to be bathed in golden light. He took a moment, staring at the ceiling and listening to the voices wafting from the kitchen.

_ “-know you love it, Moony, don’t lie.”  _

_ “Perhaps I do, Padfoot, but that doesn’t mean that you have to make THAT many pancakes for Harry’s birthday. Really, Sirius, you’re spoiling him.” _

_ “He SHOULD be spoiled, he’s the perfect kid! Have you MET Harry?” _

Harry smiled, listening to his guardians bicker, and put on his glasses. He rolled out of bed, stretching. He glanced down at his pajamas; they were simple, just a pair of black sweatpants with a t-shirt for his favorite band, The Weird Sisters. He padded into the kitchen, yawning as he walked into view of his guardians. Remus was leaning against the counter, wearing one of his signature sweaters and a pair of black jeans. Sirius was at the stove, adding to an already gargantuan pile of pancakes, that were on a plate on the counter. His hair was up in a messy ponytail, and he was wearing a loose t-shirt and sweatpants. He and Remus were playfully bickering when Harry walked in, all smiles and rolling their eyes. 

When he caught sight of Harry, Sirius grinned. “Ah, Harry! Good morning, Prongslet. How did you sleep?”

Harry smiled and nodded. “Pretty well, thanks. How about you?” He asked, looking at both Sirius and Remus. 

“Same as always: I slept like a dog.” Sirius winked, his tongue poking out of his mouth. 

Remus rolled his eyes, shaking his head as Harry and Sirius snickered. “That joke has gotten less funny progressively every time that you’ve told it. Which, in case you’d lost track, is  _ every time someone asked how you slept. _ ”

Sirius gasped in mock offense. “Moony, you wound me! Are you implying that I am not, in fact, the most hilarious person you’ve ever met?” He batted his eyelashes, letting out exaggerated sniffles. 

Harry snorted as Remus smirked. “I don’t know, Sirius. I know plenty of people funnier than you… Maybe Kingsley?” They all shared a laugh; Kingsley Shacklebolt had a reputation as someone who was fairly stoic, and so the idea that he was funnier than anyone, much less Sirius, was laughable. 

After they winded down, Sirius turned off the stove, pulling three plates from the cabinet and placing the pan into the sink. He also pulled maple syrup out from the fridge, along with chocolate milk and orange juice. Remus and Harry grabbed their plates, taking some pancakes and grabbing themselves a drink. 

Harry sat at the table, and was soon joined by Remus and Sirius. He thanked Sirius for breakfast, and Sirius simply grinned, saying, “It’s nothing, Prongslet. Happy birthday.” 

Remus spoke up, smiling at Harry. “What would you like to do today? We could go anywhere… Do anything…?” 

Harry immediately knew what he wanted to do: he’d recently read books about different animals, and he found the differences and similarities between different species in the same groups fascinating. “Could we go to the zoo?” 

The adults glanced at each other, seemingly having a silent conversation before nodding. 

“You’ll have to get changed, obviously. Make sure to put on shoes that will be comfortable to walk in, and bring a sweatshirt, in case you get cold.” Remus spoke, smiling lightly as Harry grinned and nodded enthusiastically. “So? Let’s hurry up and eat; if we want to get there the muggle way, we’ll have to hurry a little.”

Harry needed no more prodding to dig into his breakfast, practically inhaling his pancakes and only pausing to take a sip or two of his chocolate milk. 

Sirius and Remus exchanged amused glances before digging into their food as well. The pancakes were really delicious. They were just fluffy enough, not too dense and not too thin. 

They finished their breakfast in relative silence, and as soon as he was finished, Harry took his plate to the sink, looking out the window as he washed off his plate. Their house was quite close to their neighbor’s house, which was a charming white bungalow. The neighbors, themselves, were a middle-aged couple, who would work out in the lawn together on the weekends. They would wave at Harry or Sirius if they were outside, and that was really the only interaction that the set of neighbors had. 

After Harry finished washing off his plate, he placed it into the dishwasher, next to the other dirty plates. He took note that the dishwasher would need to run soon before placing his empty cup on the top rack and closing the dishwasher. He then returned to his room, practically skipping with excitement. 

Once in his room, he picked out a navy blue shirt with lions on it, some jeans, a grey sweatshirt, and a pair of trainers. He gave himself a once-over in the mirror, grinning at himself. His green eyes sparkled, the contrast between them and his golden skin striking. The lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead was a bright white, standing out brilliantly. His hair was a mess, but he knew that trying to brush it would just make it frizzy, and messier. 

He looked over his outfit one final time before leaving his room, turning off the light so as not to waste electricity. When he entered the living room, Remus was sitting on the couch, watching TV, and Sirius wasn’t in the room, presumably getting changed into his room. Harry sat next to Remus, turning his attention to the television. A documentary about wolves was playing, and Harry found it fascinating. Remus seemed to be zoned out, staring into space. 

Once Sirius returned from his room, with his hair tied up in a neat ponytail and wearing a comfortable-looking leather jacket, Remus snapped out of his reverie. He smiled, standing and stretching. “You look nice, Sirius.”

Sirius flushed slightly, but still grinned widely, dramatically batting his eyes. “Oh, c’mon, Moony, did you really expect anything different? I’m  _ gorgeous,  _ all the time. Obviously.”

Remus got closer, taking his hands. “That you are, Padfoot.” 

Harry pretended to gag. “Ugh, c’mon, guys, we have to go. No time to be mushy.” 

Sirius and Remus started, seeming to have forgotten that there was someone else in the room. Remus smiled in an apologetic way, scratching the back of his neck. “Oh, yeah, we should get going.” 

They all made their way out of the house, Sirius locking the door behind them. They walked to the metro station, getting onto the tube to get to the zoo. On the way there, Harry chattered happily to the adults, legs swinging from his seat. “I’m so excited to see the animals! Do you think they’ll have zebras? Did you know that every zebra’s stripe pattern is slightly different? I think that’s so cool! Ooh! How about lions? I think that’d be cool! Or snakes! Snakes are cool because of their different abilities! Some of them squeeze their prey to death, some are venomous, some do  _ both…  _ It’s so cool! Ooh, what about-”

Once they reached their stop, they left the station, walking a bit to get to the zoo. Once they arrive, Sirius purchases admission for the three of them, each getting a stamp on the back of their hand. Harry grinned down at his, enjoying the little red print of a butterfly. 

They walked into the zoo, pausing at the map area to grab a map. While standing there, Harry noticed an ice-cream truck. He gasped, looking towards Remus. He tried to make his face look as innocent as possible, trying to increase his chances of getting what he wanted. 

Remus sighed, nudging Sirius to get his attention away from the large map. Sirius turned around and caught sight of Harry’s expression, his eyes darting between Harry and the ice-cream truck. He sighed resignedly, shaking his head. “Fine… But only because it’s your birthday, Porngslet.” 

Harry cheered, smiling widely. “Thank you!” He raced over to the ice-cream truck, ordering a chocolate ice-cream cone. Remus got the same, and Sirius got a lemonade popsicle. Sirius paid, thanking the ice-cream man, and they began to walk around the zoo. Harry read the plaques, smiling widely. He would occasionally add random tidbits that he knew, or elaborate on points that were made on the plaques. 

They finished their ice-creams, throwing out the sticks, and walked into the reptile enclosure. Harry noticed a family there, with two boys; one who was very loud and looked rather like a pig, and a boy, presumably his friend, who had a pinched, rat-like face, who was rather loud as well. They were banging on the enclosures, trying to get the reptiles to react. Harry rolled his eyes as he walked to the first enclosure, which the boys had just vacated. 

The plaque next to the enclosure proclaimed,  **“Brazilian Boa Constrictor.”** Harry peered into the tank, noting the fact that the snake appeared to be asleep. 

“I’m sorry those boys are harassing you. It’s bad enough you’re trapped in a cage for your whole life, there’s no reason for them to make it worse.” 

The snake perked up, looking directly at Harry. It seemed to do the snake equivalent of a resigned shrug. 

Harry gasped. “D..did you just…? Do you… Understand me?” The snake nodded, its face seeming to morph into a smile. “That’s so cool! Your plaque says you’re from Brazil- Have you ever been there, or were you raised here?” 

The snake seems to roll its eyes, using its tail to point at a sign under the plaque. It read, in bold lettering,  **“Bred In Captivity.”** Harry nodded sheepishly. “Oh, yeah, sorry. I’m sure they feed you well, though, right?” The snake nodded, and Harry smiled. “That’s good, at least. I have a few questions! Snakes are so cool, I jus-”

Harry was cut off by the piglike boy shoving him out of the way and loudly calling to his friend. “Oi, Piers! This kid’s got the snake awake!” 

Harry hit the floor, falling flat on his backside. The boys banged on the glass, cackling as the snake got more and more aggravated. Harry tried to calm himself, knowing that if he let his emotions go haywire then his magic may burst out.  _ Deep breaths, Harry,  _ he heard Sirius in his mind, the memory of a previous time where he had struggled with this flashing to him. He tried to take deep breaths, he really did, but he couldn’t concentrate. The roaring in his ears was too loud; anger bubbling inside of him.  _ It’s not FAIR that this snake is forced to put up with this. It’s not FAIR that these boys are getting enjoyment from torturing this snake. They’re the REAL animals here. It’s not FAIR that the snake’s in there, when they’re not. It’s not FAIR. It’s NOT. IT’S. NOT. FAIR- _

The next sound he heard was screaming, and a crash, as the boys fell into the snake’s enclosure. Harry opened his eyes to find himself eye-to-eye with the snake. He heard a voice, which he knew was the snake’s.  _ “Obrigado, amigo…”  _ It hissed, before slithering away. Harry looked up at the tank, and found that the glass had popped back up, and the boys were trapped inside, screaming and hitting the glass. 

Harry stood, frantically looking around for Sirius and Remus. He found them, looking at him with knowledge in their eyes, tinged with worry. They were by his side in seconds, walking wordlessly from the reptile room together. 

Once they were in a relatively people-free area, the adults knelt next to Harry, concern in their eyes. “Hey, are you okay?” Remus asked gently, placing his hand on Harry’s shoulder. 

Harry nodded. “Yeah. I’m sorry I let my emotions get the best of me. The boys- They just.. They were so mean to the snake for  _ no  _ reason. The poor snake- it didn’t deserve that! It literally just sits there all day! It has to put up with people like that all day, every day.”

Sirius nodded. “I get it, Prongslet. I’m sure you tried. It’s okay, and I’m glad you’re empathetic enough that you felt strongly about it. It’ll get easier as you get older, just don’t force yourself too hard to hold in your magic… It could harm you in the long run.” 

Harry nodded, understanding vaguely from what he’d been taught growing up: repressing magic is bad, especially for young witches and wizards. It can be deadly, and turn you into a monster. 

The three of them left the zoo, simply apparating back to the apartment. It had been a long day, and staying out further would only tire them. Once home, they all flopped onto the couch, sighing heavily. 

In a few hours, there would be time to open presents. Harry would receive a stuffed animal, enchanted to move, among other presents. They would eat cake, speaking easily and laughing. But for now, they would take time to process. The last few hours had been a lot, and they needed to collect themselves. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who uploaded a second chapter!! This should NOT surprise me as much as it does. Sorry it took so long, I'll try to upload another chapter-- maybe next week? I can't wait to get into the GOOD stuff.   
> ALSO: Would anyone be interested in beta reading for this? I think I do a pretty okay job, but it'd be nice to have a second opinion.


	3. The Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to smush together a few chapters here, because Sirius and Remus don't seem like the type who would try to hide Harry's letters from him.   
> I also decided to forgo the whole thing about goblins, as I've been informed that they are an offensive Jewish stereotype and I'd rather not have anything antisemetic in my works.   
> Enjoy!

The day started, just as any other: Remus and Sirius were already awake when Harry came into the kitchen. They shared breakfast, talking about small, meaningless things. Once they were done, they sat on the couch in the living room, still talking. 

This was interrupted, however, when an owl appeared by the window, tapping on the glass with its beak. Sirius darted up, taking the letter from the owl’s talons and reading who it was addressed to. 

As his eyes darted across the handwriting, his eyes lit up with a familiarity. “Ohohoh… Harry, it’s for you.” He said, holding out the letter.

Harry grinned. He knew what it must be; he’d been raised on stories of Hogwarts and the Marauders during their time there. He accepted the letter, tearing it open excitedly. 

With hands shaking from excitement, he read:

_ HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY _

_ ~ _

_ Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE _

_ (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) _

_ Dear Mr. Potter, _ _   
_ _ We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 10 August. _

_ Yours sincerely, _

**_Minerva McGonagall_ **

_ Minerva McGonagall _

_ Deputy Headmistress _

Harry smiled, giving the letter to Remus, whose hand was outstretched, waiting. His eyes darted over the letter before grinning and pulling Harry into a hug. “Congratulations, Harry. I never doubted it for a second.” 

Sirius let out a whoop of delight, racing over to join the hug. “Yeah, Harry! So proud of you!” 

They sent back an owl confirming that Harry would, in fact, be coming to Hogwarts. Then, they decided to go to Diagon Alley to buy Harry’s things. Making sure to bring the school supply list, they left the house. 

They apparated into the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius and Remus nodding at some of the people who they knew. Harry felt a little nervous; he didn’t really go into public areas with only wizards, because Sirius had wanted him to have a fairly normal life, without people being weird to Harry because he was  _ The Boy Who Lived _ . He knew that Remus and Sirius wouldn’t let anything bad happen to him, but he was still nervous. 

His anxiety was only elevated when the man behind the bar looked up and saw him, his eyes flashing with recognition. “Merlin… Is that…  _ Harry Potter?”  _

The other wizards in the bar looked up at this, clearly interested. They looked to who Harry was with, which only seemed to cement it in their minds: Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, with James Potter’s son? Seemed very likely. 

There quickly formed a line to shake Harry’s hand, while both of his guardians kept close, maintaining a watchful eye, in case Harry seemed even the slightest bit uncomfortable. There were many people, and each of them introduced themselves excitedly, expressing how happy they were to meet Harry. 

One of the only ones who stuck out to Harry was a man in a purple turban, who seemed more nervous than Harry himself did. He offered a weak smile, coughing into his hand. “Hello, Mr. P-P-P-Potter. I w-w-would sh-sh-sh-shake your hand, b-but I’m currently sick. I’ll b-b-be your D-D-Defence Against the D-Dark Arts t-t-t-teacher.” 

Harry nodded, giving him a tight smile. “I can’t wait!” He said, really just wanting to leave, already. 

Sirius seemed to pick up on this, clapping his hands together and exclaiming fairly loudly, “Well, we really should get going; Harry has lots of shopping to do! It’s been lovely to see you all… Especially some of you.” He sent a wink to a lady around his age in a corner. She giggled to her friends, all of them devolving into high pitched squeals and whispers. Remus rolled his eyes, shaking his head at Sirius fondly. 

After a few more handshakes, they left the bar, walking into Diagon Alley. It was incredibly busy, with wizards and witches all bustling about. As they walked to their first stop, the bank, Remus gently scolded Sirius. 

“I mean, really, Padfoot, you’re just giving poor Lucinda false hope! You know she liked you in fifth year, it’s just cruel to play with her emotions like that.”

“Aw, Moony, are you jealous? It’s okay to admit it. I’m just too hot for you to manage, sometimes…”

Harry ignored their conversation, used to their weird flirting/bantering. He instead focused on the bank in front of them. He’d never actually seen Gringotts before, and he was weirdly excited. He took in the large marble exterior, with all of its impressive columns and the inscription on the doors. 

As they stepped through the door, Harry was impressed by the sheer size of the place. It genuinely seemed larger on the inside, with large rows on each side of the room, occupied on the side closest to the wall by many wizards, dressed in emerald green robes. It seemed daily similar to a muggle bank in most respects, except for the fact that everything was more ornate, more old-fashioned, and, of course, the wizards were wearing robes rather than the muggle suits of muggle bankers. 

Sirius stepped up to one of the vacated spots, across from a wizard with brown hair and a long brown beard. “Hello, we’d like to make a stop at the Black family vault and the Potter family vault.” 

Remus chimed in from behind them, “Oh, and I need to go to vault 713… Special Hogwarts business, Dumbledore’s orders, you know?” He presented the wizard with a letter, presumably from Dumbledore.

The wizard behind the desk nodded, accepting the letter and giving it a once-over before pointing them to another wizard, who was wearing royal blue robes. “Go with Magnus, he’ll take you where you need to go.”

They went to Magnus, told him where they needed to go, and were escorted to a cart, reminiscent of a mine cart, to sit in. They sat, and whisked through the tunnels incredibly fast, Harry’s eyes watering with the air hitting them. 

They stopped, just as jarringly as they’d started, right in front of blank wall. “This is the Black family vault.” Magnus stated, getting out of the cart and touching the wall with his wand. It split open, revealing piles upon piles of gold, silver, and bronze coins, with some small artifacts as well. Sirius seemed nonplussed by the large amounts of money, simply going in and taking some in a pouch before departing, nodding at Magnus, who closed it behind him. 

They continued for a much shorter time, screeching to a halt in front of another blank wall. “This would be the Potter family vault.” Magnus explained, opening this vault. Sirius handed Harry a bag. 

“You don’t have to grab too much, just enough that you’ll be able to buy things on the Hogwarts Express, and the like.” Sirius stated, smiling at Harry.

When Harry walked into the vault, he couldn’t help but feel amazed by the amount of money. He had known, of course, that his grandfather had gotten a lot of money on his special hair potion, he didn’t know  _ how much.  _ Sure, it was less than what was in Sirius’s vault, but was still a large amount. He took what he believed to be a reasonable amount before exiting the vault.

He nodded to Magnus, getting back into the cart. Magnus closed the vault, getting back into the cart before they sped off again, presumably to their last stop. 

“Vault 713.” Magnus stated, pressing three different spots on the wall with his wand and whispering something to the wall before it opened to reveal….

A small paper bag, sat in the middle of the large vault.    
Remus hurried in and grabbed the bag before leaving, getting back into the cart. 

They sped back to the surface, thanking Magnus before leaving. 

Once they were outside, Sirius turned to Harry. “Okay, Prongslet, how about this: Remus and I can go and pick up your books and cauldron, you should go and get your wand and robes. I’ll give you some money.” He handed Harry some coins. “We’ll meet at the ice-cream shop, Florian Fortesque’s.” 

Harry nodded, leaving to go to the wand shop, Ollivanders. Before he went in, he noted the old sign over the door, which proclaimed, in slightly chipped paint, “Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C.” 

Harry walked in, not seeing anyone at first. “Hello?” He called.

An old man with frizzy, crazy white hair walked in from the back, eyes darting around before landing on Harry. “Oh! Good afternoon, Mr. Potter. I thought you might be coming to see me this year.”

Harry’s brows furrowed. “You know who I am?” 

Mr Ollivander nodded. “Of course. You look just like your father did, at your age. Except for the eyes, of course. You have your mother’s eyes. Why, it feels like just yesterday when your father was standing just there, purchasing his wand. Mahogany, eleven inches long, pliable. Great for transfiguration.” 

Harry nodded, not actually that interested. He loved hearing about his parents, but he wasn’t too interested in their wand types. 

Mr Ollivander was seemingly pulled from his reverie. “Oh, in any case, let’s try out some wands for you, eh? I assume you know a fair amount of the things I tell muggle-raised children, seeing as how you were raised by Sirius Black.”

He pulled a wand box from the shelf, opening it. The wand inside was a light color, and fairly straight. 

Harry took it, looking to Ollivander. “What do I do?” He asked. 

“As of right now? Stand here. I have to make some measurements.” As if on queue, a small tape measurer popped out of some drawer in the shop, flying over next to Harry. “Now, Mr Potter, which hand is your wand hand?”

“Er… My right hand.” Harry had to ponder for a second, even though he normally knew the answers to such things. He just felt a little discombobulated, and Mr Ollivander seemed to be moving at a mile a minute. 

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the small measurer flitted over to his arm, measuring the distance from his right shoulder to his longest finger on his right hand. It then zoomed over to his right knee, measuring the distance from there to his armpit. It then moved to around his head. 

It started measuring the distance between his nostrils before Mr Ollivander looked over, shaking his head and making a movement with his wand. “Sorry about that, it seems to have a mind of its own sometimes. Now, I believe we’re ready to try out some wands.”

He retrieved a wand box from the back of the store, opening the box and placing it in front of Harry on the counter. “Here we go: birch wood, unicorn tail core, nine and a half inches long, and daily bendy. Give it a go.” 

Harry picked up the wand, giving it an experimental wave. Nothing happened… Or so he thought, until there was a loud crashing noise from the back of the shop, and a scruffy-looking cat came flying through the air by its tail, yowling. 

“Agh! Okay, Mr Potter, please put down that wand.” Mr OIlivander requested, taking out his own wand and cancelling Harry’s accidental spell. He then went to the back and took a different wand. “Alright, this one is willow, with a dragon heartstring. Twelve inches, brittle. And,” his eyes twinkled, a droll smile on his face, “Try not to attack my cat again, if you will.”

Harry flushed with embarrassment as he picked up the second wand. He swallowed as he waved it, hoping nothing too bad happened this time. All that happened was that a wand box was knocked off of the back shelf. He set the wand back down; something didn’t feel right with using that wand.

Mr Ollivander was already picking up the fallen wand box. “Hm… I suppose you could try this one. It’s a rather unusual combination: Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. Go ahead, try it.”

He gave it to Harry, and he tried to give it a wave. There was an overwhelming sense of correctness with this wand, and when he waved it it shot out some harmless sparks from the tip. 

Mr Ollivander’s eyebrows raised. “Hm… Very curious.” He murmured, just loud enough that Harry managed to hear it.

Harry tilted his head. “What’s very curious?” He asked, hand still on the wand.

“It’s just curious to me… The feather in that wand was from a phoenix who only ever gave two feathers for wands. And… Well, the one who had the other wand gave you that scar.”

Harry paused, staring up at Mr Ollivander. “You mean… Voldemort had the other wand?”

Mr Ollivander nodded. “Well, Mr Potter, I can only assume that this would mean that you are destined for great things, for He Who Must Not Be Named did great things as well. Terrible, of course, but very great.”

Something in that statement didn’t sit right with Harry, so he purchased his wand quickly and left the store as fast as he could. 

The door to Madam Malkin’s Robe Shop jingled as he opened it. A squat witch in purple robes bustled into the front room, eyes landing on Harry. “Ah, you’re for Hogwarts, I’d expect. Right this way.”

She led him to a room with big windows which looked out onto one of the side streets in Diagon Alley. There was only one other person in the room; a pale, bored-looking blond boy who seemed to be around Harry’s age, stood on a pedestal, getting measured for new robes. 

Harry stood on the other pedestal, feeling the wooshing of the tape measurer as it darted around his body in frantic movements. 

The other boy looked up, a small amount of interest brightening his gaze. “Oh, hello. First year at Hogwarts too?” 

Harry nodded, unsure of what to say. “Uh, yeah. I’m Harry.”

The boy nodded, already seeming bored again. “I’m Malfoy.  _ Draco  _ Malfoy.” Harry had heard of the Malfoys, albeit vaguely, from Sirius, so he immediately knew he was in for a wild ride. Draco continued, “I still think it’s stupid that first years aren’t allowed to bring our own brooms. Have you got a broom? I have, and my father says I’m really very good for my age.”

Harry nodded, feeling relieved as to the topic: if they could simply talk about brooms, nothing would have to be uncomfortable, and he’d be able to leave without things going to the dogs. “Oh, yeah, I like riding the broom a lot. Me and my… Uh, uncle, we play Quidditch sometimes in our garden.”

Draco nodded. “What house do you think you’ll be in? I just know I’ll get Slytherin: everyone in my family has been in it for decades.”

Harry privately thought he’d get into Gryffindor, but seeing as the houses had a deep-seated rivalry, he decided for the more diplomatic approach. “Oh, er, I’m not sure. I’ll be good with pretty much any house, though.”  _ Except Slytherin.  _ He added mentally.

“Well, hopefully you aren’t about to surrender yourself to  _ Hufflepuff,  _ are you? Oh Merlin, imagine going all the way to Hogwarts, only to get sorted into Hufflepuff! I’d leave, wouldn’t you?” Draco sneered, but Harry couldn’t help but notice that something seemed off with the way Draco was speaking. His eyes darted around and he looked anxious.

Harry shifted uncomfortably, getting an accidental poke from the needle that was stitching fabric together around him. He personally knew quite a few sweet, kind, and smart Hufflepuffs, but he also wasn’t sure what to say. Luckily, Draco spared him from having to reply by scoffing as he looked out the window. 

“Look at that! It’s Loony Lupin and that blood traitor Black. I heard that they’re… Well, let’s just say  _ I  _ wouldn’t be caught dead hanging out with them.”

Harry looked through the window, and sure enough, Remus and Sirius were there, holding a cauldron with a bunch of books and supplies in it. They looked through the window and saw Harry, grinning and waving. “Ah, brilliant, they’re here, then.” He spoke.

Harry checked to make sure that his robe was done before hopping off the pedestal and paying Madam Malkin for her work. He raced out of the store without sparing another look at Malfoy.

As Harry, Remus, and Sirius sat, eating their ice-cream, Harry mulled over what Draco had said. How could someone truly think so backwards that they’d want to be in Slytherin and no other house? How could you  _ not  _ want to hang out with Sirius and Remus? How could someone look down on  _ Hufflepuffs,  _ of all people? Why did he look… Unsure?

Sirius’s voice pulled him out of his reverie. “Harry, mate, is something wrong? You’ve hardly spoken this whole time, and your ice-cream is melting.” Harry whipped his head up, noting that Sirius was, in fact, correct. 

“I just… You know how you’ve talked about the Malfoys? Their son was in Madam Malkin’s and… I dunno, Sirius, how can someone be so hateful? Plus, there was a weird way he said things- it sounded like he wasn’t sure that what he was saying was right? That doesn’t make sense though. If you aren't sure, you don’t say it.” 

Remus hummed thoughtfully, and something in Sirius’s eyes dimmed. When Sirius spoke, it was far more serious than his normal light tone. “It’s not always that simple, Prongslet. If you’re raised a certain way, sometimes you say things you aren’t sure about, because it means appeasing those who made you think this way.” 

Harry nodded, brows still furrowed with worry. “And another thing… I’m kind of worried about what house I’ll get. I don’t want to be a Slytherin, and I really want to be a Gryffindor, but what if I get something that I don’t like?

Remus smiled softly. “It’ll be okay, Harry. No matter what house you get, we’ll still love you.” 

Sirius nodded emphatically. “You’ll always be Harry, that’s what really matters. Even if you get Slytherin, you’re still you.”

Harry smiled a little bit, feeling some of his worry fade. They finished their ice-cream and Sirius and Harry went home with Harry’s new supplies, while Remus stayed behind, claiming he had to buy something.

Once they got home, Harry flopped onto the couch, Sirius flopping beside him. Sirius turned on the TV, and they watched it for several hours, until Remus came. He’d brought Harry a present: a Snowy Owl. Harry brought her to his room, smiling widely. When he came back downstairs, he sandwiched himself between Sirius and Remus. There, he felt safe and content. He slowly drifted to sleep, feeling the exhaustion from a long day wearing on him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO.... What'd you think? Comment it, if you'd like!  
> I'm still looking for a beta reader, so if that's something you'd be interested in, please feel free to comment!   
> Anyway, that's all for this week! I love you, have a great rest of the day! <3


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